Abducted Briton Freed by Lebanese Terrorists

BEIRUT — British metallurgist Geoffrey Nash, one of 13 Westerners held by kidnapers in Lebanon, was released Wednesday “in very good shape” nearly two weeks after he was seized by Muslim guerrillas and held in solitary confinement.

Nash, 60, was taken to predominantly Christian East Beirut and underwent a medical checkup before being flown to Britain, his daughter Nadia said.

Western sources said Nash was freed on condition that he deliver a communique from his captors to the French consul. Soon after his release, Nash delivered the communique as requested, the sources said.

The document duplicated a message telephoned to a Western news agency Tuesday claiming responsibility for the abductions of Nash, countryman Brian Levick and three French citizens.

Nash was kidnaped by three gunmen March 14 as he left his home in mostly Muslim West Beirut on his way to work for the Lebanese government’s Industry Institute as a mineral expert. The sources said Nash apparently was held in West Beirut.

“My father was in very good shape when I saw him after his release,” Nadia Nash said. “The only thing that was different was that he had not shaved.”

His daughter quoted him as saying the kidnapers questioned him at length during the 14 days he was held but did him no harm and gave him the necessary medication for a heart ailment. She said he did not know where he was held.

“He was shaking, I guess from the after-effects of the kidnaping,” she said. “They asked him questions and said they thought he was American. He told them he was British and did not work for the American Embassy. I guess they were satisfied he was not a spy.”

Nash’s Lebanese wife, Waddad, said later at the family’s summer house in the Christian suburb of Hazmieh that her husband, who has lived in Lebanon for 37 years, was tired but well.

“He is resting,” she said. “He was well-treated. They gave him food. They also gave him his medicine.”

Twelve other Westerners were still being held in Lebanon--five Americans, four French,,two Britons and a Dutch priest.

The pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for Nash’s abduction and nine of the other kidnapings.

But on Tuesday, a man claiming to represent a rival group calling itself the “Lebanon branch of the Khaiber Brigades” told a Western news agency it was holding five of the kidnap victims--including Nash.

The man said then that Nash would be set free “very soon” along with Levick and a secretary at the French Embassy, Danielle Perez.